1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to methods, systems and apparatus for managing digital communications systems. More specifically, this invention relates to identifying types of modems or other communication devices, such as by manufacturer, model number, and software version, used in a communication system such as an ADSL system.
2. Description of Related Art
Digital subscriber line (DSL) technologies provide potentially large bandwidth for digital communication over existing telephone subscriber lines (referred to as loops and/or the copper plant). Telephone subscriber lines can provide this bandwidth despite their original design for only voice-band analog communication. In particular, asymmetric DSL (ADSL) can adjust to the characteristics of the subscriber line by using a discrete multitone (DMT) line code that assigns a number of bits to each tone (or sub-carrier), which can be adjusted to channel conditions as determined during training and initialization of the modems (typically transceivers that function as both transmitters and receivers) at each end of the subscriber line.
In recent years, various DSL modems from a variety of manufacturers and vendors have been deployed to customers in a variety of DSL and other communication networks. While some customers are using the latest and/or popular types of modems, other customers may be using very old and/or less common types of modems. Very little effort is made to track the implementation, use and changes to modem type used by customers, meaning that operators and/or other parties have little information about what those customers are using on their respective networks. Generally, an “operator” is a telecom or other service provider who operates the network and provides the service itself. Standardized mechanisms within the existing deployed base of modems that supposedly allow the modems to identify their vendor ID, version ID, and serial number have not been implemented, or have been implemented incorrectly, and are thus ineffective for identification of modems.
Current techniques for acquiring such customer/modem type information are costly and generally ineffective. They may include making a special effort to contact customers directly to collect such information, which is time consuming, highly inefficient and very costly. Operators and others also may collect information whenever there is a “truck roll” (that is, a service call to the customer's premises for repair and/or maintenance work). However, operators and the like attempt to keep the number of truck rolls to a minimum and this is a very inefficient way to collect information about customers and the types of modems they are using.
Systems, methods and techniques that permit identification of modems, modem types and software version used by customers in communication systems such as DSL systems would represent a significant advancement in the art. In particular, identification of modem types using readily available data and/or other information in the communication system would represent a considerable advancement in the field of DSL service rates and associated ranges.